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Ace Fall Convention Opens in Chicago

August 17, 2012

Ace Hardware’s Fall Convention opened in Chicago on Thursday, as crowds of vendors and attendees filled the aisles of McCormick Place.

Co-op executives opened the Market with an optimistic general session, stressing the strength of second-quarter sales growth, new strategic in-store initiatives and online interactivity resources to help members cultivate a shopping environment centered on customer engagement.

“I’m getting lots of product knowledge and finding the tools needed to enhance my store,” Chicago Ace retailer Jeremy Melnick said. “At the market I can compare notes and problem solve with other retailers, see new products and get motivated.”

Ace COO John Venhuizen referenced the company’s sixth consecutive year of highest customer satisfaction ratings among home improvement retailers, according to the J.D. Power & Associates U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study and encouraged members to practice “productive paranoia,” or a reinvigorated attention to productivity metrics and strategy implementation.

Ace Hardware CEO Ray Griffith took to the stage to re-emphasize recently released second quarter financials—same-store sales are up 3.8 percent, with transactions up 1.5 percent year-to-date—and highlighted the company’s strategy of global expansion with international revenue projections set to top $245 million by the end of the year.

“Early spring weather in parts of country provided early sales gains,” he said. “That weather along with some great initiatives like Clark+Kensington, Craftsman and Discovery Edge resets have been driving ourbusiness both in wholesale and retail.”

The show floor was peppered with strategic initiatives to enhance customer engagement, including a new Instant Savings program for Ace Rewards members and improvements on already popular consumer categories.

Paint and paint sundries were an area of great discussion with it’s liquid paint market-share growing from 4 percent to 5.3 percent over the last three years. The paint displays on the showfloor showcased updated store renderings, new color displays, prototype palettes and continued assortments such as the Clark+Kensington paint and primer in one.

Outdoor living was another vehicle for innovation: the booths in this area focused on Necessories, Ace’s line of ready-to-assemble kits for outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, grill surrounds, bars and tables.

Ace Chairman David Ziegler stressed the importance of quality customer service in today's highly competitive market, referencing the successes of Ace marketing campaigns and continued global expansion.

“The co-op is doing the right thing in investing in the Ace brand and focusing on retail-ready initiatives, all of which have been a huge success for us in this changing retail landscape,” he said.